European Maker Week 2018

Hacking Policy for the Maker Movement

The European Maker Week is an opportunity for citizens from communities across the EU to participate in local activities, raise awareness and engage in a dialogue about the maker culture and Industry 4.0, and celebrate the innovation of the Maker Movement.

Within the wider scope of the EMW, the Policy Workshop organised by the H2020 project OpenMaker and hosted by Georgi Pirinski MEP will encompass a high-level session at the European Parliament on the 22nd of May from 17.00 to 20.00. The main objective of the event is to stir a debate about the European Industrial Policy Framework of the future, starting from the emerging open manufacturing paradigm and the socially-oriented and tech-driven spirit of the maker movement.

The event will kick-off by showcasing successful examples of partnerships between makers and manufacturers, currently developing cutting-edge technical solutions that can break existing barriers to social change. This will ultimately inspire a debate on policy recommendations for the relaunch of the European manufacturing industry.

The event will gather around 60 high-calibre participants and will represent a unique opportunity to engage in a forward-thinking conversation with policy-makers and visionaries from all over Europe, followed by a networking reception.

About the European Maker Week

More than 400 Events in 28 Member Countries

The European Maker Week (EMW) is an initiative promoted by European Commission and implemented by Maker Faire Rome in collaboration with Startup Europe. EMW was created two years ago to encourage, promote, and highlight organisations from around the EU who are working to create more opportunities for more people of all ages to make. Makers are developing new solutions and products for pressing challenges, engaging students in hands on, interactive learning of STEM, arts, and design, and enabling individuals to learn new skills in fabrication and manufacturing.

The expected outcomes of #EMW18 stretch well beyond the specific day of each event. The EMW is an opportunity to convene key stakeholders in local communities to discuss the role of the Maker Movement in community-based problem solving, help build bridges between local authorities, media and the main players of their own local makers ecosystems, and develop new collaborations, partnerships and initiatives that can help grow the movement in each territory.

Makers are building the ‘keys’ to open the doors of the future: developing new solutions and products for pressing societal challenges; engaging students in hands-on interactive learning of STEM, arts, and design; and enabling individuals to learn new skills in digital fabrication and open manufacturing.